Benefits Checklist

Programs and certificates that have not been approved by the State Approving Agency (SAA) and the VA can't be certified. Students should check to confirm that their  program is VA approved so they can receive VA education benefits.

• Go to the VA WEAMS Institution Search website.
• Click on Colorado (CO)
• Click on "U"
• Select "University of Colorado Denver | Anschutz Medical Campus"
• Click on "Programs"
  - If pursuing a degree, click on "Institution of Higher Learning"
  - If pursuing a certificate, click on "Non-College"
  

Don't see your program or certificate listed? Programs/certificates not listed can’t be certified.

• To begin the process of requesting a new program be added, email VMSS@ucdenver.edu
• The approval process is administered through SAA and the VA and can take up to 12 months

Congratulations on deciding to pursue your higher education at CU Denver | Anschutz Medical Campus! The application process can be challenging, but VMSS is here to offer support. Feel free to reach out to us at VMSS@ucdenver.edu with questions.

Learn about our application processes, then apply.  

CU Denver Admissions webpage.

CU Anschutz Medical Campus Education webpage.

Some military-connected applicants will be required to submit additional forms when they apply.

• Be prepared to submit your DD214, if applicable

Military members must submit their military transcripts which can take as long as three weeks to three months to be received and evaluated. The VA requires that all prior credit be evaluated.

Joint Service Transcript (JST)

• For all branches except Air Force
• Register for a JST account
• Authorize “University of Colorado (Denver)” for online delivery of the Official Transcript to be downloaded by a university official.

Community College of the Air Force (CCAF)

• Go to Air University

Official transcripts must be ordered to be printed and mailed.

CU Denver students
Office of Admissions, University of Colorado Denver
Campus Box 167, P.O. Box 173364
Denver, CO 80217-3364

CU Anschutz Medical Campus

Check with your school/college/program for the correct mailing address

CU Anschutz Accountable Student Contract

The Accountable Student Contract is a contract that affects students in the Schools of Medicine and Dental Medicine. Once students sign the Accountable Student Contract, it is a binding contract that adds an accountable student fee that is not covered by the VA. If you are a medical or dental student, please contact VMSS to discuss how this may affect you.

To use your VA education benefits, you need to apply with the Veteran’s Online Application on the Veterans Affairs website.

• Go to the “Education” box
• Click on “Apply for education benefits”

By completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), you could be eligible for grants, loans, and scholarships. Grants are money given to students from the Federal Government based on financial need and does not need to be paid back. Loans are money that students can borrow, but must be repaid. Scholarships are money that students compete for and do not need to be repaid. 

The FAFSA should be filled out annually, ideally in October when it opens, and will use your tax return information from two years ago. 

• The FAFSA can take four to six weeks to process 
• Once processed, go to your student portal to accept your aid 

Additional FAFSA and financial aid information is available online:

• CU Denver Financial Aid  
• CU Anschutz Medical Campus Financial Aid 

You may want to authorize that the financial aid you accept can be used to pay all charges. Authorizing your financial aid to pay all charges allows your funds to be used for non-mandatory fees which include fees for dropping a course, bookstore charges, and service charges. Without this authorization, you may receive a financial aid refund even if there is a balance due on your account.  

To Authorize Financial Aid to Pay All Charges: 

1. Log into your UCDAccess Student Portal 
2. In your "Student Center", select "Student Account" 
3. Select "View Student Permissions" 
4. Click on "Grant Permissions" and follow the instructions 

To set up direct deposit: 

• Log into your UCDAccess student portal 
• In your "Student Center", select "Student Account" 
• Select "Direct Deposit Student Refunds" and follow the instructions  

This will allow the Bursar's office to pay all outstanding balances prior to refunding your financial aid. 

In addition to your campus orientation session, Veteran and Military Student Services staff is available to answer your questions during their monthly Zoom orientation sessions for students using benefits. Contact us at VMSS@ucdenver.edu for more information or ask your advisor for the Veteran and Military Student Services orientation link.

CU Denver Undergraduate Students

Orientation is a requirement for both first-year and transfer undergraduate students. The two-day orientation process for first-year students includes an Advising Day and a Student Success Day. You will select both dates when you sign up for your Advising Day. Orientation for transfer students includes an Advising Day and Online Modules. The modules are made available when you register for your Advising Day. When you attend your Advising Day you will meet with an academic advisor and register for your first semester courses.

Register for CU Denver Undergraduate Advising Day

CU Denver Graduate Students

Orientation options for graduate students are handled differently in each school, college, or program. Graduate School staff is available to help students learn which orientation requirements apply to them. For guidance, email Graduate Admissions or call 303.315.2183.

CU Anschutz Medical Campus Students
CU Anschutz students should check in with their advisor for orientation details and dates for their school, college, or program.

To have the best chance of getting the courses you need for your program, you should register/enroll for classes through your student portal as soon as possible.

You’ll also want to keep close track of the credit hours you’re taking each semester. Your Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) is based on what the VA recognizes as a full-time student. If you take fewer than full-time credits, your BAH will be prorated. 

• Undergraduate students: Full time is 12 overlapping credits for the fall and spring semesters, and six credits for summer semester per the VA rate of pursuit
• Graduate students: Full time is five overlapping credits for the fall, spring, and summer semesters

Possible Benefit Delays 
Students in some programs can expect that their benefits will be delayed because they can’t enroll until two weeks to two months prior to the start of the semester. Since the Certification verification and submission process can’t begin until after the student is enrolled, students in the below programs should plan ahead for the delay.

CU Denver 

• XMBA 
• One Year MBA 
• Global Energy Management (GEM) 

CU Anschutz Medical Campus 

• Dentistry 
• Medicine 
• Graduate Nursing 
• Pharmacy 

It’s important to be sure the courses you’re enrolled in are required for your degree program. If they’re not required, we’re unable to certify them. Any course you take that’s not required won’t count toward the full-time credit requirement for VA education benefits. Students who take courses that aren’t certified are responsible for the tuition and fees.

CU Denver Undergraduate Students

Your Degree Audit is the place to quickly check that all of your courses are meeting the requirements. If your Degree Audit is unavailable, contact your advisor to make sure your classes are required.

To run your Degree Audit:

1. Go to your student portal
2. In the menu in the top right, click on "Degree Audit Tools"
3. Click on "Degree Audit"
4. Select "Run Degree Audit"
   
   

If any of your courses fall in the "Work Not Applied" folder, contact your advisor and ask them to verify that those classes are part of your degree plan.

Find your advisor in your student portal:

• In your "Student Center", select "Advisor"
  

If your advisor finds that the courses in the “Work Not Applied” folder are part of your degree plan, ask them to complete a Degree Audit Exceptions form and to email specific and individualized documentation directly to VMSS@ucdenver.edu. Without the form and documentation, those courses won't be certified.

CU Denver Graduate Students

CU Anschutz Medical Campus Students

To confirm that your courses are required for your degree plan, check with your advisor.

Find your advisor in your student portal.

• In your "Student Center", select "Advisor"

There are benefit-specific steps you must follow and documents you must submit to VMSS@ucdenver.edu. Learn about the requirements for your benefits in the Benefits-Specific Requirements section below. Please select the type of student you are, then scroll to find your benefits. 

All groups should check their Military-connected Residency eligibility if classified as a nonresident. 

The Certification Request is what CU Denver | Anschutz Medical Campus Veteran and Military Student Services uses to track and submit your information to the VA. This must be completed every semester that you want to use your VA Education benefits. Please submit this at least eight weeks before the start of the semester to allow for processing. 

If there are any changes to your class schedule, please submit another Certification Request with your new total of credits and note the changes in the remarks section.